New family detention centre opens at Gatwick
SWVG is keeping a close watch on a new detention facilities to make sure that there is no return to the routine detention of child asylum seekers.
The centre, known as ‘Cedars’, opened in a former school at Pease Pottage, near Gatwick Airport, in September. The facilities replace Yarl’s Wood, which was closed by the government as part of its pledge to end child detention.
Earlier this year, SWVG wrote to Barnardo’s, which is overseeing the care of children at the centre. In response, the charity promised SWVG it would protest strongly if families are referred there as a matter of routine.
In a letter to the group, Anne Marie Carrie, Barnardo’s chief executive said it would speak out if the accommodation becomes a “revolving door” for families so that they end up spending significant periods there rather than a maximum of one week.
In her response to SWVG, Anne Marie Carrie said: “Barnardo’s will not be afraid to speak out if we witness any member of staff not keeping a child’s welfare front of mind or failing to treat residents with dignity and respect.”
Organisations such as End Child Detention Now object strongly to the centre and says families and children should not be detained at all.
Read the full Barnardo’s letter here
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Students escape worst effects of ESOL changes
A major campaign against proposed cuts in English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) has enjoyed some success with most further education colleges continuing to offer free or subsidised classes.
New funding rules, which would have restricted free ESOL to people claiming job seeker’s allowance and other so-called ‘active’ benefits, were due to take effect at the start of the new academic year.
But without any proper announcement, the government told colleges in August that they could, if they wished, use their existing budgets to reduce fees for students that would otherwise have faced paying half or full cost. This includes many refugees (especially women) and some asylum seekers.
Action for ESOL, the campaign group that co-ordinated protests against the cuts, welcomed the government’s re-think as an important victory for everyone that campaigned. This includes SWVG, which lobbied local MPs.
Colleges such as City College in Southampton have seen an increase in enrolments since September after introducing a range of discounts and schemes under which some students pay in longer instalments.
In July, SWVG members raised their concerns over ESOL with Winchester MP Steve Brine, who later wrote to John Hayes, the further education and skills minister. The government’s long-term plan still seems to involve the introduction of new community English classes for people that do not qualify for free ESOL. However, it remains unclear when such classes will be introduced or how they will be funded.
October 2011
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Further issues
Azure cards
An azure card is the latest way of supporting asylum seekers who have had claims rejected and are awaiting deportation. The card can only be used in certain shops and, as well as creating practical difficulties, carries a similar stigma to vouchers, which it replaced. It has been strongly criticised by the Refugee Council and other organisations.
Read more here.
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Early Legal Advice Project
Thankfully, it’s not all bad news. The project, which stems from an earlier project in Solihull, advocates more effective co-operation between legal representatives and case workers. At present, the project only operates in the midlands and east of England. We would like to see it adopted nationally.
Read more here.
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Last Updated on Wednesday, 05 October 2011 14:58 |
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